Brain Dead

So I did my whole blog last night without posting the main events of the week. Definitely brain dead last night. Main event number one: Brecken's first school picture ever! I know, I'm a total newbie. Only a newbie would mark this as a milestone.

awe, my little grade schooler!...

And the real highlight of the week? Brecken's primary part!! She did so well. In the video, I have to chuckle, we need to work on her "smile" during delivery. But other than the overkill on cheese, she did great! We are so proud of her.

My Three Girls

Well, it's friday, and I have a lot of Halloween-costume-ish pictures, and pumpkin carving etc... But I'm gonna save that for another post. Just in case I get some better shots tomorrow :) So you just get the boring run down on the kiddos.

Brecken: Lately, she's been loving dancing. Well, not lately, she always has. But lately she's been loving me taking pictures of her dancing, so that's what you get on her :)...

Hallie, ah, my angel child. When there is a newborn in the home, it is hard not to have a favorite...

And due to some accidental funky camera settings, this one is better in black and white...

Taylor, sheesh, there is always much to be said about Taylor.

The sound of silence can mean one of two things. Either Taylor has been creating a work of art with make-up, food, or toothpaste or she needed her diaper changed and I forgot about it. Until I realized I had had 20 minutes of silence...

(no need to tell me she should be potty trained. I realize I have two in diapers. believe me. I realize it)

So I'm not usually lucky enough to get that kind of silence. But she is always good for a laugh...

weirdo :)...

And this last picture has nothing really to do with the post. It's just because I think my husband is good looking, and I like to look at him. Even on my blog :)

Harrington Randoms

Well I decided to give a little update on each of the Harrington clan. We'll start with me :)

A few days back just as we were crawling into bed, Russ (cute, cute Russ) pulled something from the closet. My birthday present (which isnt for two weeks)! The intention was to just show me the beautifully done wrapping job, compliments of himself. Well, one thing led to another and soon shreds of wrapping paper and remnants of ribbon were strewn across our bed.

Now, I felt like a little spoiled two ear old when I opened it. You know, whine about something so you get it. Well, you may have noticed, I whined about the camera that we have (in previous posts) and so, yes, I was spoiled... drum roll please......

I thought the camera might get insulted if I snapped a shot with my phone, so you get the mirror image :) Now, I am far from proficient at using this camera. One: I don't know what all of the nifty features do. Two: I don't know how to take a creative shot to begin with. And three: I definitely don't know how to combine one and two. So, please, forgive the underused awesomeness of this camera... I'll get there.

For an update on Russ, well you just get an amazing sky view he snapped and me telling you he is awesome :)...

We'll move on to Hallie. No milestones yet. Still cute, with a few battle wounds compliments of Taylor...

Taylor? Well, she must know the law that states: When a mother thoroughly cleans the kitchen, (i.e. sweeps, mops, scrubs etc.) It must not last longer than two hours...

The little twerp cutie :)

Brecken's latest: She learned to ride a bike! A little negligence on our side prolonged this inevitable feat, But in two days she had it down!...

I love her look of concentration...

And when encouraged to smile this is all she can muster...

Until of course she's no longer riding, then she can focus on cheesing for the camera :)...

And I cannot keep her off of that thing!! :) I am so proud of her!!

And that about wraps up the random goings-on of the Harringtons!

A Thing of Beauty...

... Is a joy forever.

Look at it...

Isn't it beautiful?...

ahhh....

What is this reverie I find? Why, it is a lock on the pantry door. And what's this? It's out of Taylor's reach! Even with her infamous stool! Yes, I believe it was the best two dollar investment I have ever made. Actually, four dollars. I loved it so much I bought two. I'm not sure where the second one is going, so many options. The bathroom. The closet. The girl's bedroom (muahahahaha... no, that's going too far).

But while this last week has been free from honey on my floor, powdered sugar on the bed, syrup in the carpet, cereal on the counters, peanut butter on my walls, and all of the above on Taylor's fingers, face, and clothing (excepting at meal times), it is not a cure all.

She still manages things such as this...

Before you gasp and think "what veiny child is this??!!!" those are not veins. It is pen (a gasp is still in order)...

I caught her red handed, but even if I hadn't her right arm would have given her away. The little culprit...

And here is the real thing of beauty!...



She is just so sweet!!! I love my Hallie. Well, all of my girls. But right now, I am basking in the joy a baby can bring. Nothing is sweeter than a baby, resting her perfect little head on your shoulder, her dainty little fingers on your chest, her bright eyes looking about, the only movement is her perfect tiny breaths... now that is beautiful.

No More Excuses

I think I should stop coming up with excuses every time it's "been a while." Because apparently... It just takes me "a while" to blog. And if you saw the pile of laundry in every bedroom in the house you'd know that it isn't just blogging. But that's beside the point.

So. Now I have set a goal. Every Friday (I hope I don't regret this) I am going to blog. The only reason I am publishing this goal is for a little accountability. I do keep a journal, but honestly, my blog is a much better journal. And it's been lack-ing. Heavy on the lack. So. No more excuses. Blog world here I (re) come!

This is gonna be a lot of catch up.

(oh, and this is dedicated to my lovely sister Destinee who inspires me to blog-and many other things. love you Dest [i never got a response back, you did want me to dedicate this to you, right? :)])

Boston

Boston. Wow. Boston. It started as a dream. Russ's actually. It has always been a dream of his to go to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park (silly baseball fanatic :]) Well, mid September my parents made his dream come true. We didn't just see a game at Fenway Park... We. Saw. Boston. It was amazing. It helped that Heavenly Father blessed us with perfect weather. And it helped that we got to leave Brecken and Taylor with Aunties and Uncles :)

I guess I'll just dive right into the pictures (I'm only posting a handful)...

The cemeteries in Boston were so neat. So old. It really made me reflect on the men who were buried there, many of them died fighting for freedom. Wow. This is in front of one of them...

And a picture of said cemetery (now if we had a really cool camera, and gone from a really cool angle, we could have gotten a really cool picture, just pretend)...

This was the Old North Church (you know..."one if by land, two if by sea") and Russ lookin' pretty cute...

In front of Paul Revere's home. Oh yes. It is...

Russ lookin' cute again. Oh yeah, and a ship...

And dinner at Ruth's Chris was worthy of a picture (imagine, again, a really cool camera :]) The food was so good here... some of us cried (really)...

What we didn't get any pictures of was the Boston Opera House. Or us seeing Wicked at the Boston Opera House (amazing).

More sights that were just to amazing to put into words (read between the lines-I'm too lazy to go into detail)...

Some trees too unique to not climb...

Some poses too unique not to photograph (oh, dad :])...

All of us at the North Bridge...

This is the famous Walden Pond (actually it's Russ and I at Walden Pond)...

And might I say, this little cutie was an angel the whole trip?! (I had to get her little eyes peeking out)...

Ok, this next picture needs a little narration. Everyone that goes to Boston needs to meet a Jimmy. If a Jimmy is not met, the Boston experience is not complete. This is Jimmy...

We met Jimmy at the train station on the way to the Red Sox game. Now, believe it or not, Bostonians are very hospitable. Jimmy was no different. He was the epitome of a true Boston Born and Raised. Imagine, if you will, a very raspy smoker's voice saying "Watcha gatta do is pak ya cah, take the Challie, and that'll take ya to Fenway Pak so ya can watch the Red Sax game. But you've gatta watch ya back, cuz if you crawss the gangs rand heeya they'll kill ya." (translation:What you've got to do is park your car, take the Charlie, and that will take you to Fenway Park so you can watch the Red Sox game. But you've got to watch your back because if you cross the gangs around here, they'll kill you). Yes. Jimmy was great. The written word does not do him justice.

And now, the grand finale, the moment of moments, the reason behind.... The Boston Red Sox Game at Fenway Park!!!...

(of course a little Red Sox merchandise is in order)...

Never too young...

And here we are. At the game...

That's it. I know you're probably thinking "Wait! This is an abrupt ending!" and to that I say... Yes it is.

Hallie's Blessing Day

Such a neat day. I just love my Hallie. And so many people came to support us (thanks thanks thanks so much!)! But I have to confess something. I didn't think to get any pictures of Hallie in her blessing dress (duh). So as an afterthought, yesterday I threw her dress back on her and snapped some pics with my phone. So the ones in the long white dress... nope. It's not the blessing day. And not the best quality (well let's face it, my camera wouldn't be "the best quality"). Wish I would have got more pictures of everyone but here you go...

But here is Hallie on the actual day. Smiling. :)...

The fake day (her dress looks yellowish, that's my camera phone for ya, it's really white. i promise)...

And let's face it, she wasn't too happy to wear it again...